Battle
She was not there for the battle. She did not stay to see how the arrogance of the lord’s men lead them like perfection into the trap of her daughters making How, a lone archer stood high upon the watch tower raised the bow launched the fire brand a signal to the anxious well hid well trained finest archers to emerge from camouflage and hidden tree lines to turn the tide pinning their enemies between themselves and the stockade wall.
Neither did she see the price such victory, such singular courage – exposed above the fray the signal archer upon whom all hope rode – fell an iron arrowhead from one of the lords own had found their slender throat
Aftermath
The people wondered how the woman could not be here?
She’d not hear the speeches, see the spectacle, the funerals and the grand rite performed for the hero of it all. How the master’s son wept so true that his love could not be doubted.
And the messengers, the lords own men came relinquishing all claims, withdrew and never came again. Invested rather, money and resources into the design of armour chain and plate which would be impervious to any archer’s missile. He disbanded his archers retrained them as infantry and cavalry or simply let them go. Kept only those he’d need for test firing on the new armour.
To the Widows and Orphans of the Village
But those who became widows and those who became orphans had nothing but gratitude towards the woman. She had made legal arrangements to leave her goods, and workshops all that was contained within those structures to benefit them. From sales of what goods there were in stock and a means to make their own.
For years this continued shelter and income for all widows and orphans. Many saved from certain destitution. It seemed that always near the time of anniversary some new storage of the woman’s stock would be discovered. Theses always fetched the highest price as no one would ever rival the original quality of the woman.
It went on like this until eventually the elders of the village deemed the goings on to be much too akin to magic in nature and not at all in keeping with the modern ethics. So, the haven was closed, and its beneficiaries dispersed. The buildings sold to one of the more industrious of the citizens who did offer to rehire some workers at the reduced more proper rate.
